Cheating Death
by WhiteAsukalover
Summary: AU! While trying to rescue the gang from the sinking library, Toph falls victim to heat stroke and falls unconscious. A local tribe of sandbenders soon find her and take her back to their tribe, presuming her to be deceased. Will Toph rest in peace forever in a tomb and will Team Avatar perish in the lost library, or can Toph cheat death and save them? Read and find out! One-Shot!


_A/N: Hey guys, White here once again. Two new stories in 2 days, I'm on fire! This story was inspired by an awesome DeviantArt picture by my friend Acaciathorn and it's subsequent backstory which goes as follows: __In this version of events during The Library episode of Book 2, Sokka, Aang, and Katara are not able to escape the lost library in time, and it sinks beneath the sands of the desert, leaving Toph alone in the middle of a vast wasteland. Exhausted, thirsty, and still in shock over the disappearance of her friends, Toph wanders through the desert until she finally succumbs to heat stroke and loses consciousness. Shortly afterward, a group of roaming sand benders find the seemingly lifeless girl half buried in a dune. Assuming the worst, they do what they can, and hurriedly wrap her in a shroud of bandages and deposit her in an empty sarcophagus in one of their tombs. Revived by the cool damp of the tomb, Toph awakens and emerges from her final resting place, dead set on following the sand-benders and doing whatever is necessary to save herself and her friends. The picture can be found on the DeviantArt website by searching Mummy Toph. Enjoy this guys! Also Toph's bond with the gang is illustrated by having them feel and sense Toph's pain which was partially inspired by the original Yu-Gi-Oh! anime. _

Toph was a **VERY** busy girl at the moment. She had to keep the sandbenders away from Appa while using her potent Earthbending talents to try and lift the entire lost library back to the surface and inside the library the situation wasn't much better as Aang, Katara, and Sokka were fighting for freedom against the giant knowledge spirit.

"Can this day get any worse?!" Sokka yelled.

The library was sinking rapidly as Aang was trying to fight back the knowledge spirit, "We're sinking deeper," Katara said as she could feel the library sink more and more. On the outside Toph was losing ground. The library was sinking as Appa was being tied up, she couldn't keep the sandbenders at bay **AND** keep the library above ground

"We have to do something! I'd rather not enter the Spirit world for about 80 years!" Sokka deadpanned.

In desperation for the freedom of himself and his friends Aang used earthbending moves, taking chunks of the stone floor and using them as projectiles, successfully connecting with the knowledge spirit's legs, making it collapse in injury but it seemed like their victory was short lived as the library kept sinking slowly but surely and Toph couldn't help keep the building up any more.

"We're screwed aren't we?" Sokka deadpanned.

As much as Aang didn't want to believe that Sokka was right that's just what it amounted to. Outside Toph lost Appa to the sandbenders and the library had sank from top to bottom. However because of the library's sheer mass and size it was literally stuck under the sands, not moving anymore.

"Oh great, this is just perfect, just freaking perfect." Sokka groaned.

"I'll try and earthbend us out of here, if not then I'll try airbending," Aang said, trying to stay cool under pressure as the knowledge spirit groaned in weakness.

Toph was livid that she not only failed to save Appa but she failed to save her friends as well. She collapsed to her knees in defeat and sorrow and let out a scream in failure, "**No...NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!**"

"I just hope Toph is okay out there." Katara mused.

"Toph is one of the toughest Earthbenders I've ever met, I'm sure she's alright, Aang said, walking to a wall across the room, looking for a way out, "You...will never get free," the Knowledge spirit said, his ego still showing after getting his legs broken.

Toph had tears coming from her light green-grey eyes. Her pride and confidence gone as she wondered just how could she fail so badly at protecting the people she cared for, "Maybe if I was stronger...or faster..."

"Tong, I know your an all-knowing spirit, but come on man, give it up. Your legs are useless now." Sokka teased.

Aang was trying to lift the library up from the inside, only resulting the entire floor shaking as he grunted in effort. "Maybe I can find some help...somehow," Toph said. She still felt disappointed in herself from failing her friends but she did have the mental strength to go out and look for help, even if she had to trek the entire desert.

Katara despite not being an Earthbender decided to try and help.

"Try all you wish," Tong said with arrogance, "You'll never escape," Tong was too proud to admit defeat as Aang tried to lift the library up with aid from Katara's waterbending.

"You don't know when your beat do ya?" Sokka teased.

Tong groaned, he couldn't fly, rendering him helpless, meanwhile Aang took a deep breath, grumbling a little as earthbending wasn't going to work to get them out.

Katara put a reassuring arm around Aang. "It's going to be okay Aang. We'll get out."

Aang smiled at her, thankful for her support as plans and ideas roamed in his head. He was going to get his friends out of here somehow.

Things weren't as upbeat and reassuring with Toph however.

Toph was wandering the desert, her stomach growling due to all of the earthbending/sandbending she's been doing, "Out of all the times to get hungry..." She grumbled.

Because of the ever-shifting sands, Toph's 'vision' was practically useless, but she wasn't about to get desperate.

Toph was looking for any type of food, she was starting to get hungry on the hot desert sands.

"Aang, maybe you could try going into the Avatar State." Katara suggested.

"You think that will work?" Aang asked, not sure that the power of the Avatar State could lift a building trapped under tons of sand.

"It gives you the power of all your past lives, so I'm sure it could give you enough strength." Katara encouraged.

"Well...yeah but I only know how to get in the Avatar State when I'm angry though," Aang said, he didn't want to burst Katara's bubble but that was the truth.

"Hm..try meditating." She suggested.

"Good idea," Aang nodded.

"I thought I was the idea guy of the team." Sokka joked, trying to keep his friends calm and upbeat despite their peril.

Aang started meditating, looking for a way out of this.

Katara chuckled. "Always joking even in a time like this aren't you Sokka?"

"Pretty much," Sokka nodded with a smile, proud of it.

"I'm just really worried about Toph. We'll be okay down here for a bit, but I don't know how long she can last above ground in all that heat." Katara groaned, her maternal instincts kicking in for the youngest of their group.

"I know, I'm sure she's okay..." Sokka grunted, feeling his head receive a short yet splitting migraine.

"What's wrong Sokka?" Katara asked.

"I think...Toph's in trouble," He groaned.

"How can you tell?" Katara asked, interested.

"I don't know..." Sokka asked, "Its the only logical thing because I was just fine a while ago."

Katara was about to answer, when she clutched at her chest, feeling a sharp jolt almost like a knife piercing her heart. "Ah...your right...it is her. Somehow we've all gotten so tight as a team we've developed some kind of weird link with each other."

"I think you're right," Sokka said, favoring his head as the professor returned to the floor that everyone else was on, cradling scrolls in his arms.

"Toph...please...hang on." Katara whispered.

"What just happened here?" The professor asked, clearly curious as Aang was meditating and Sokka and Katara had worried expressions on their faces.

"It's a long story Professor Zei." Katara answered softly.

"Is there anything I..." He started, noticing the fallen knowledge spirit, "Tong...he's...defeated."

"Yeah, but we kinda have bigger problems." Sokka replied.

"I-I see." Professor Zei said, feeling a little guilt that everyone...including himself was stuck underground.

Katara looked at Aang, hoping that they got out soon, for Toph's sake.

Toph was trudging through the windy sands, trying to remain proud through the heat and sand.

"Toph...please...please be okay." Katara whispered, looking at Aang.

Aang was still meditating. He was trying his best to get into the Avatar State without anger...it was going to take a while.

Katara's eyes radiated pain, sensing Toph's.

The heat, the sand, all of this was too much for Toph as she collapsed on all fours, sweat falling from her brow, "This...this is too much." She said weakly.

Katara clutched at her heart, letting out an anguished scream.

Sokka groaned in pain, his head feeling like someone hit him with a boulder. That sparked something in Aang, making his body glow with power, he entered the Avatar State.

"Toph...no..." Katara moaned.

Aang woke up, walking over to Katara, radiating power.

"Aang?" Katara asked softly.

Aang offered her his arm, wanting her to grab it.

Katara took it with a smile.

Toph was lying on her her back on the sands, succumbing to heat exhaustion as she felt like her whole body was about to melt.

Katara let out another anguished scream.

Using airbending like superhuman speed he ran to Sokka, wanting him to get on his back.

Sokka wasted no time jumping on Aang's back, Zei following as well.

With Katara and Zei on his arms and Sokka on his back Aang used airbending to grant him extreme speed, running down the floors and up the walls, looking for a way out of the library.

Toph tried to gather up some strength to get up, but to no avail as she went totally unconscious.

Aang was racing up the walls and stairs, making scrolls fly off as he tried desperately to find a way out of the library.

Minutes passed before Toph's unconscious body was found by a pack of sandbenders, "She has no signs of movement, she's too young to be carrion for the Bee Vultures," Said a the eldest one of the group, "Take her with us, we'll give her a proper burial."

The younger one nodded, gently lifting Toph out of the sand.

As Toph was placed gently on the sand sailer the eldest sandbender said, "Back to the tribe."

The rest nodded and headed off.

Aang saw the sand-filled windows as he ran clear through the library for minutes on end before collapsing on the sand-coated ground floor. His plan failed, his friends were stuck.

"It's okay Aang you tried your best." Katara spoke up, her pains eased as she sensed Toph was safe..somehow.

Aang sighed. He was glad to have Katara's support but if the Avatar State couldn't get them safely free what could?

"Look at it this way, we're protected down here." Katara smiled, hoping to cheer up the young Air Nomad.

"You're right," Aang said, perking up. "No fire nation, no desert creatures."

"And Tong won't be moving anytime soon." Katara giggled.

Aang laughed, "That's right. We have all the time we need to make a plan on how to escape."

"Yeah true.. at least Toph's safe somewhere. Somehow I can sense it." Katara assured her friends.

"Me too," Sokka agreed, his head no longer aching.

"Where do you think she is?" Katara wondered.

"Somewhere in the middle of the desert," Aang said, "The sandbenders might have found her."

"They better not hurt her, or when we get out of here, their dead!" Katara threatened. She and Toph might have gotten on each other's nerves alot, but Katara had always thought of the young blind girl as a surrogate little sister, so their bond was strong.

"Those sandbenders seem like thieves, not murderers," Professor Zei said, "Your friend is most likely okay."

"How can you be so sure?" Katara asked, a slight edge to her voice.

"Their bending style isn't suitable for combat. They've taken her back to their tribe...unless.." Zei stopped, a horrible thought coming to him.

"Unless what?" Katara growled.

"Unless she has a...bounty on her," Zei said, trying to pick his words carefully, so as to not anger Katara.

"She's just a kid." Katara answered sharply.

"The sandbenders are in the business of business. If Toph is wanted and if they know about it, they'll only see her as coins and nothing more," The professor said.

"I don't think they do." Katara replied in vehement disagreement.

"She's right, or else my head would be pounding right about now," Sokka agreed, recalling his earlier headache as soon as he knew that Toph was in danger.

"True. She'll pull through." Katara agreed confidently.

Meanwhile the Sandbenders were back in their tribe, giving Toph a full body wrap from head to toe. They were convinced that she was dead.

_'Mmm...w...where am I? W...Why is everything so dark?'_ Toph thought as the cool moist tribe of the Sandbenders had started to help her regain consciousness, unbeknownst to the Sandbenders.

The sandbenders were chanting in tongues, wishing Toph's soul to have a peaceful journey to the spirit world. They did not know that the girl they were set to entomb was far from dead.

'_Those voices...they...they can't be the gang.'_ Toph thought, a little freaked.

The sandbenders placed the tomb lid on top, closing her in darkness. They were certain that she was deceased.

Thanks to the cool air of the tomb she was in, Toph had regained some of her strength as she opened her eyes and tried to move, but to her horror she couldn't. _'Oh great, I'm trapped!'_

About a couple of minutes passed before a young sandbender named Ghashiun walked into the cave.

'_Come on...budge...'_ Toph thought, irritably, trying again to move the tomb lid.

Ghashiun's eyes focused on the tomb lid rattle as he froze in place.

Toph kept struggling, as she hated being in small spaces like the tomb she was in.

Ghashiun slowly walked towards the tomb. Whomever was in there _was not_ dead.

Finally, Toph managed to push the tomb lid enough so she could at least attempt to get out.

"W-Who's there?" Ghashiun asked, clearly shocked as he backed away slowly.

Toph pulled off some of the wrappings covering her mouth, so she could talk. "Just get me out of here!"

Ghashiun responded, slowly holding his hand out for the young Earthbender to grab.

Toph grabbed his hand as he helped pull her out of the tomb.

"Y-You...I remember you. You're the girl from the library," Ghashiun said in shock, taking a good look at the girl he helped free.

"Yeah, my name is Toph Beifong. I'm traveling with the Avatar and his friends...but things aren't looking good for them."

Ghashiun was right about to speak when the bellow of a large animal was heard outside of their cave.

"That voice...that's the Avatar's bison!" Toph exclaimed.

"That thing belongs to the Avatar?!" Ghashiun said in disbelief, "We didn't know it had an owner!"

"Yes it does. Why do you have it?" Toph frowned. She was grateful that she had saved him, but even being the rebel she was, she still had ethics and refused to associate with a petty thief.

"When we saw you and that bison at the library we thought it was fair game to sell it," Ghashiun admitted.

"Well it's not. However, I'm willing to forgive you if you and your tribe can help me and my friends." Toph offered.

Ghashiun did not want to incur the wrath of the Avatar or his allies, "I understand. I'll tell my tribespeople that you're...well...alive." He said, smiling sheepishly.

"Good. I'm sorry if I scared you." Toph laughed.

Ghashiun ran out of the deep cave to his people, ready to tell them what exactly happened.

"This has got to be the weirdest day of my life." Toph commented dryly to herself.

A minute passed as Ghashiun explained himself to his people, including his parents about what happened in the desert. From taking Appa to finding Toph's barely-alive body he explained it all. Then the sound of light yet noticeable footsteps returned to the cave where Toph was waiting.

Toph's arms were crossed as she waited, visibly annoyed.

A grown man with a bald head and a thick yet full beard introduced himself to Toph first, "I am Sha-Mo, the leader of this tribe of sandbenders and behalf of everyone _especially_ my son we are sorry for wrongfully entombing you and stealing the Avatar's flying bison," He said respectfully as he bowed, his compliment of followers doing the same.

"It's all right, you didn't know any better." Toph replied, shrugging.

"I see you still have your bandages on most of your body," Sha-Mo said as he saw that only Toph's mouth and feet were revealed.

"Yeah, well I doubt I need them anyway." Toph replied coolly.

"Helping you rescue your friends is the least we can do to prove our apology, we're happy to come with you," Sha-Mo said.

"The library you found me at is currently buried, and my friends are trapped inside." Toph explained.

"Then there's no time to lose. We can't let your friends die down there," Sha-Mo said, feeling the urgency of the moment.

"Then let's go." Toph answered bluntly, knowing time was of the essence.

Sha-Mo and his tribesmen walked quickly with Toph out of the cave and to the tribal center, where Appa and the sand sailers were.

Toph calmly climbed on Appa.

Sha-Mo walked toward Appa, awe in the adult man's eyes, "What a proud creature. I can tell he cares for his master," He said calmly.

"Yeah, he and the Avatar are very close." Toph answered, her tone becoming reflective.

Sha-Mo looked at Appa with awe. He wanted to ride it but was cautious enough not to just hop on its back.

Appa looked at him, and gave a friendly growl, seeming to trust him because they were helping Toph.

Sha-Mo nodded, understanding him as he walked to Appa's side and sandbending to launch himself up in the air, safely landing on Appa's back.

Appa then slowly rose until he was airborne.

"Let's go then." Toph mused.

Sha-Mo nodded as Appa levitated into the air. The sand sailers followed the flying bison below.

"Hang in there guys, I'm on my way.." Toph whispered.

Meanwhile Team Avatar and Professor Zei were tired and weakened. All of their food and supplies were on Appa as they were trapped in the buried library.

"Katara..." Aang murmured softly, his voice weaker due to lack of food or water for awhile.

"Yes Aang," Katara said with notable weakness in her voice as she was hungry and thirsty as well.

"Where do you think Toph is?" He asked.

"Knowing her she's in the desert, fighting for her life." She answered softly.

"I...hope she's okay. Even...if we don't make it, she will." Aang replied, keeping his voice soft to conserve his energy.

Katara nodded, "Exactly. Toph is the toughest girl I've met. She can survive in the desert."

Little did the gang know that Toph was about to save their lives..

Toph and the sandbenders landed at the massive sand pit that had the library in it.

"I know it's huge, but you guys are the only chance my friends have." Toph explained, clearly anxious.

"I have a plan," Sha-Mo said with confidence in his voice.

"What is it?" Toph queried.

"First we surround this pit, we'll spread and lift the sands to assist you with your earthbending." Sha-Mo explained, calmly.

"Got it." Toph replied.

Sha-Mo, the other sandbenders, and Toph surrounded the pit in a perfect circle, "Sandbenders, we move after three. One...two...three!" Sha-Mo yelled. He and his tribe started moving the sands around the library, parting them with all of their might

With the sands separated from the solid earth, Toph was able to slowly begin bending the library to rise..

The sandbenders moved with her, creating a a giant sand sheet under the library, cradling it, helping Toph lift the library with better ease.

Toph smiled proudly at her own abilities as she kept bending.

"It's not enough just to lift it, we need to move it to stronger sands," Sha-Mo grunted with effort, his body wrap keeping him cool in the intense heat.

"How will that do anything?" Toph asked.

"It will give the building a stronger base. Its also easier than bending more sand to fill up this gaping hole."

"Right, just help me." Toph answered bluntly.

The sandbenders did just that. As the library was lifted up it was moved to newer sands slowly, safely away from the gaping sand pit.

Toph kept up her bending, a few beads of sweat forming on her forehead.

"Are we...moving?" Aang asked, feeling the building be raised and moved out of the sands.

"I think...we are, but how?" Sokka wondered.

"You don't think..." Aang started, wondering if Toph was behind this.

"It's gotta be Toph...what other person could do it?" Katara asked.

"I don't think it's just Toph though, you really think she can lift an entire building?" Sokka queried.

"She took out 12 men." Katara answered dryly.

"True," Sokka said, "But a building trapped under sand that even Aang couldn't escape? Toph couldn't possibly do it on her own."

"Well...in any case, we'll get out of here." Katara answered confidently.

Sokka nodded as the building stopped moving as it landed with a gentle thud.

"We're close." Toph mused.

"They can escape on their own if need be," Sha-Mo said as the building was placed a safe distance from the pit.

"Are you sure they can get out?" Toph asked anxiously.

"I'll lead a small team in to remove the sand from the inside to they can exit faster." He explained, easing the young girl's fears.

"Right, Sha-Mo, I am forever in your debt, thank you so much." Toph answered happily as joy shined in her green-grey eyes.

"You're welcome Toph," Sha-Mo smiled before signaling some sandbenders to follow him to the library.

"Aang, do you hear something?" Katara asked.

"Footsteps...somebody's coming here," Aang said, hearing multiple footsteps move up the stairs.

"You think its Toph?" Katara asked with hope in her voice.

"Too many footsteps," Aang said, shaking his head.

"True." Katara agreed, though she was still hopeful that Toph was alive and well.

The sandbenders approached the same floor that the rest of the gang were on, ready to lead them out of this the library.

Katara looked around, curious as to who the footsteps belonged to.

The footsteps stopped at the entrance to the floor that the gang was on as Toph and a group of men dressed in light, baggy, tan-colored clothes greeted them.

"Toph, thank goodness your okay!" Katara chirped.

Toph knew the sound of Katara's voice from anywhere as she grinned, "I'm glad I'm okay too, and meet my new friends, the sandbenders."

"That explains the body wrap." She giggled.

"Well that's an entirely different story but I never would've rescued you guys without their help." Toph answered happily.

"What happened to you after the library went down?" Katara asked, curious about her friend's fate.

"I was lost in the desert, it felt like forever with the sand in my face, and the hot sun." Toph explained, shuddering as she recalled her ordeal of only a short time ago, though it felt like many days had passed.

"We could feel your pain." Katara answered sympathetically.

"How?" Toph asked. She heard the saying of someone being able to feel another person's pain but that's all she thought it was, just a saying.

"Somehow we've all grown so close we have some kind of link." Katara answered with a smile.

"You think so?" Toph asked, a shy smile on her face.

"Yes I do." Katara answered sweetly to the young blind Earthbending prodigy.

Toph never paid too much attention to this type of stuff but for some reason she believed Katara. Perhaps it was from all the days she spent with her friends and all of their adventures and even though she was relatively new to the team she built a solid bond with them, "I think so too." She agreed.

"Let's just get out of here, I've had enough of this place for one day." She laughed.

Toph laughed with her as she walked with her friends out of the library...finally.

Team Avatar bid farewell to The Sandbenders, thanking them for saving their lives especially Toph's as the blind girl embraced Sha-Mo in a warm hug of thanks before they went their separate ways.

They were reunited at long last thanks to Toph's refusal to give up, she had done the seemingly impossible.

She had cheated death...

The End!


End file.
